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GP Extended Access Service in Stevenage

Stevenage Locality are looking at the best way to provide a GP Extended Access Service for patients in Stevenage. Patients are therefore kindly asked to complete a short survey - you will find the relevant link to the survey and further information on how to do this in our 'Latest News' section. Your comments and feedback from completing this survey, will help to structure how the service will be provided.

Test Results

It is your responsibility to make sure you know the results of test you have had.

Call the surgery between 11.00 and 15:00 for your results.

Please wait at least 3 days before phoning for blood test results.

Please wait at least 1 week before phoning for X-ray results

Some specific blood tests take up to 3 weeks for the results to be returned to the surgery.

Please note that we do have a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection. In this respect we will only give out results to the person they relate to unless that person has given prior permission for their release or if they are not capable of understanding them.

Abnormal Results

If you receive an 'abnormal' test result, please bare in mind that it may not always be a cause for concern. There are many medical reasons to explain why an 'abnormal' result is actually in fact a 'normal' result.

For more information regarding blood tests, please click on the links below:-

Blood Tests

A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test. For example, a blood test can be used to:

assess your general state of health

confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection

see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning

A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm. and the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface. Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand. The child's hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

X-Ray

An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

If you have a X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.

An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as X-rays and ultrasound scanners.

You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website.